Railway hopper cars



Aug. 7, 1962 Filed Aug. 8, 1960 FIG.|

E. R. ALLER RAILWAY HOPPER CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet l m D I S N 0 INVENTOR:

m EDMUND R. ALLER I: BY

@ 4 QM 0% J I W ATT Y .ug. 7, 1962 E. R. ALLER RAILWAY HOPPER CARS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 8, 1960 INVENTOR EDMUND R. ALLER 85M V g UATT'YS Aug. 7, 1962 Filed Aug. 8, 1960 E. R. ALLER RAILWAY HOPPER CARS 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. EDMUND R. ALLER illnitetl httes atent huesBfiddfi Patented Aug. 7, 1952 3,048,449 RAILWAY l-HDPPER CARS Edmund R.Aller, Gary, Ind, assignor to General American TransportationCorporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 8,1960, Ser. No. 48,362 6 Claims. (Cl. 302-52) The present inventionrelates to railway hopper cars for storage and transportation of finelydivided or granular material, such, for example, as flour, malt, plasticresin beads, or the like; and it is the general object of the inventionto provide in a railway hopper car improved and simplified pneumaticunloading mechanism for selectively controlling the unloading to theexterior of the material from the car body through a bottom dischargeoutlet associated with the hopper structure incorporated in the carbody.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a railway hopper carpneumatic unloading mechanism of the character mentioned for selectivelycontrolling the unloading to the exterior of the granular material fromthe bottom discharge outlet incorporated in the hopper structure,without the necessity of movable valve structure, whereby the overallrate of fall-through of the granular material with respect to the bottomdischarge outlet is self-regulated to match the overall rate oftransporting of the granular material from the pneumatic unloadingmechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved pneumaticunloading mechanism of the character described that incorporates aminimum number of stationary elements of simplified construction andarrangement.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangementof the elements of the railway hopper car, whereby the above-outlinedand additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best beunderstood by reference to the following specification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of a railwayhopper car embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view, partly broken away, of the railwayhopper car shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the railway hopper car,shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged lateral side elevational view, partly in section,of one of the bottom outlet structures incorporated in the body of therailway hopper car, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive, andincorporating pneumatic mechanism for selectively controlling theunloading to the exterior of granular material from the bottom outletstructure illustrated;

(FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan View of the pneumatic unloading mechanismshown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bottom outlet structureand the associated pneumatic unloading mechanism, this view being takenin the direction of the arrows along the line 6--o in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic lateral sectional view, similar to PEG. 4,indicating the manner in which the granular material falls-through thebottom outlet structure into the associated pneumatic unloadingmechanism; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view, similar to FIG. 6,indicating the manner in which the granular material falls-through thebottom outlet structure into the associated pneumatic unloadingmechanism.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, the railwayhopper car lid, there illustrated and embodying the features of thepresent invention, is especially adapted for storage and transportationof finely divided or granular materials, such, for example, as flour,malt, plastic resin beads, or the like; and the car 10 comprises a rigidunderframe, including a longitudinally extending center sill ll; whichunderframe is supported adjacent to the opposite ends thereof by a pairof trucks 12 carrying track wheels 13 cooperating with an associatedrailway track, indicated at '14.

The underframe carries a body 20, including a pair of longitudinallyextending and laterally spaced-apart side walls 21, a pair of laterallyextending and longitudinally spaced apart end walls 22, and laterallyextending and longitudinally spaced-apart divider walls 23 disposedbetween the end walls 22 and cooperating therewith to divide the ladingcompartment defined within the body 20 into three upstanding hoppers 31,32 and 33. Of course, it will be understood that the number of dividerwalls 23 required depends upon the number of hoppers into which thevolume of the lading compartment is to be divided, two of the dividerwalls 23 being required for the purpose of defining the three upstandinghoppers 31, 32 and 36, in the present example. Also, the body 20comprises roof structure 24 that carries a number of longitudinallyspaced-apart filling hatches 25 arranged on either side thereof andcommunicating with the several hoppers 31, 3'2 and '33, each of thefilling hatches 25 being provided with an associated removable hatchcover 26 normally arranged in sealing relation therewith. Further, thebody 20 comprises bottom structure in the lower portion thereof closingthe bottom ends of the three hoppers 31, 32 and 33; and as illustrated,the bottom structure provided in the hopper 31 includes a pair oflaterally extending and downwardly sloping hopper sheets 41 and 42, apair of longitudinally extending and downwardly sloping hopper sheets 43and 44, and center structure providing a pair of longitudinallyextending and downwardly sloping hopper sheets 45 and 46. Specifically,the hopper sheets 41 and 42 converge downwardly longitudinally towardeach other, the hopper sheets and 45 converge laterally downwardlytoward each other, and the hopper sheets 44 and 4s converge laterallydownwardly toward each other. In the arrangement, as illustrated in FIG.3, the upper portions of the hopper sheets 41 and 42 cooperate with thehopper sheets 43 and 45 to provide the upper hopper section 31A havingbottom outlet structure 51A, and the lower portions of the hopper sheets41 and 42 cooperate with the hopper sheets 44 and 46 to provide thelower hopper section 31B having bottom outlet structure 51B.

Accordingly, the hopper sections 31A and 31B (hereinafter referred tosimply as hoppers) and the respectively cooperating bottom outletstructures 51A and 51B are disposed in laterally spaced-apart relation,as shown in FIG. 2; and the bottom outlet structures 51A and 5113respectively carry two pneumatic unloading mechanisms 71A and 71B. Inthe arrangement, the bottom outlet structures 51A and 51B are identicaland the pneumatic unloading mechanism 71A and 71B are identical; andmoreover, it will be understood that each of the other hoppers 32 and 33are constructed and arranged in a manner identical to that of the hopper31.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 6, the lower portion of the hopper 31B, thebottom outlet structure 51B and the cooperating pneumatic unloadingmechanism 715 are illustrated; and in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the pneumaticunloading mechanism 71B is illustrated. More particularly, the bottomoutlet structure 51B comprises an upstanding substantially rectangularthroat'element 52 that is joined to the bottom of the hopper 31B insurrounding relation with respect to the bottom outlet 53 communicatingtherewith; and the lower end of the throat element 52 terminates in anoutwardly directed substantially rectangular collar or flange 54. Thepneumatic unloading mechanism 718 is disposed immediately below thebottom outlet structure 5113 and comprises an outwardly directedsubstantially rectangular collar or flange 72, the collar 72 beingdisposed immediately below the collar 54 and detachably secured thereto,with an intervening gasket 73 therebetween, by a plurality of bolts 74provided with cooperating nuts 75. Also, the collar 72 carries anelongated tubular casing 76, the longitudinal extension of which islaterally across the hopper car i which casing 76 is substantiallycircular in lateral cross-section, the casing 76 being disposedimmediately below the collar 72 and rigidly secured thereto, as bywelding. The opposite ends of the casing 76 are open and projectlaterally outwardly from below the bottom outlet structure 513, as bestillustrated in FIGS. 4 and and the opposite ends of the casing 76normally respectively carry two caps or covers 80. More particularly,the exterior surfaces of the opposite ends of the casing 76 arethreaded, as indicated at 77; and also an annular series of ventopenings 78 is provided in each end portion of the casing 76 inwardlywith respect to the extreme outer end thereof and outwardly with respectto the adjacent side of the collar 54; and two annular rings 79 arerespectively carried by the end portions of the casing 76 respectivelyadjacent to the opposite sides of the collar 72, the two rings 79 beingrespectively disposed inwardly with respect to the two adjacent seriesof vent openings 78, as clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The two caps 80 are identical, each comprising a substantiallycylindrical side wall 81 adapted to fit over the adjacent end of thecasing 76 and provided with internal threads, indicated at 82, that areadapted to engage the external threads 77 provided on the cooperatingend portion of the casing 76. Also, the cap 80 comprises a closed endwall 83 carrying handle structure 84 facilitating rotation thereof;whereby the cap 84 may be readily placed and removed with respect to theadjacent end of the casing 76 by corresponding rotation thereof,utilizing the handle structure 84. Finally, the extreme inner end of theside wall 81 of the cap fill carries an annular ring 85 that is adaptedto engage and to seal against the cooperating annular ring 79 carried bythe casing 76 when the cap 80 occupies its normal position closing theadjacent outer end of the casing 76. Moreover, when the casing 86occupies its closed position on the associated outer end of the casing76, the ring 85 in engagement with the ring 79 seals off the adjacentannular series of vent openings 78; whereby the corresponding end of thecasing 76 is closed and sealed with respect to the atmosphere.

An opening 76a is formed in the top central portion of the casing 76;and a funnel 90 is carried by the collar 72 and projects through the topopening 76a downwardly into the interior of the intermediate or centralportion of the casing 76. The extreme upper end of the funnel 90 issecured to the adjacent portion of the collar 72, as by welding, asindicated at 91; and the upper portion of the funnel 90 i secured insealed relation to the upper portion of the casing 76 about the topopening 76a, as by welding, as indicated at 92,. More particularly, thefunnel 90 has the general configuration of an inverted truncatedpyramid, including a pair of opposed end walls 94 and a pair of opposedside walls 95. Accordingly, the funnel 90 converges downwardly from anopen top end communicating with the bottom outlet structure 51b to anopen bottom end communicating with the lower part of the central orintermediate portion of the casing 76. Thus, the open bottom end of thefunnel 9b is disposed above the bottom wall of the intermediate portionof the casing 76 and below the top wall of the intermediate portion ofthe casing 76; and more particularly, the downward projection of thefunnel 96 into the upper part of the casing 76 blocks at least about ofthe lateral cross-section of the casing 76, as illustrated in FIG. 6,

thereby to cause a venturi effect in the lower part of the intermediateportion of the casing 76 incident to the passage of a current of airtherethrough in an unloading operation, as explained more fully below.

Considering now the general mode of operation of the pneumatic unloadingmechanism 718 in the unloading of the granular material from the hopper31B, the granular material may be unloaded from the hopper 31B fromeither end of the casing 76, and as illustrated in FIG. 7, thisunloading of the granular material may take place from the left-hand endof the casing 76. In this case, the left-hand end cap is removed fromthe associated left-hand end of the casing 76 and a suction conduitElli) is suitably connected thereto; and also the right-hand end cap 86is partially unscrewed from its fully closed position in order touncover, at least partially, the adjacent annular series of air vents 78provided in the right-hand end portion of the casing 76. Of course, thesuction conduit ltltl completely closes the left-hand end portion of thecasing 76 blocking the adjacent annular series of air vents 78 providedin the left-hand end portion of the casing 76. The granular material inthe hopper 31B falls-through the bottom outlet structure 5113 andthrough the funnel into the lower part of the intermediate portion ofthe casing 76 and the air current proceeding through the casing 76 fromthe right-hand end portion thereof (the air inlet port thereof) into theleft-hand end portion thereof (the air outlet port thereof) and thenceinto the suction conduit 100. Specifically, the outside air proceedsthrough the annular series of air vents 78 provided in the right-handend portion of the casing 76, since the right-hand end cap 80 ispartially unscrewed from its fully closed position, as previouslyexplained, and passes through the casing 76 and ultimately through thesuction conduit 100. As previously noted, a venturi effect is producedin the intermediate or central portion of the casing 76, with the resultthat the velocity of the air current passing therethrough issubstantially increased in this area of the casing 76, so that thegranular material in the lower part of the intermediate portion of thecasing 76 is picked-up by the air current and transported alongtherewith and into the suction conduit 100 for the unloading purpose.

In the operation of the pneumatic unloading mechanism, the volume of theair moved through the suction conduit 100 may vary considerably byvirtue of variable operation of the pumping equipment, not shown, thatis operatively associated with the suction conduit 1G0; whereby the aircurrent through the casing 76 is correspondingly varied. As the granularmaterial falls-through the funnel 90 onto the bottom wall of theintermediate or central portion of the casing 76, it piles-up thereupon,as indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8; whereby the granular ma terial submergesthe open bottom end of the funnel 9t) and stoppers the same, when therate of fall-through of the granular material from the hopper 31B intothe lower part of the intermediate portion of the casing 76 exceeds therate at which the granular material is transported therefrom by the aircurrent passing through the casing 76, so that the overall rate ofunloading of the granular material from the hopper 31B isself-regulating to match the overall current of air that is passedthrough the casing 76, and notwithstanding substantial variations in thevolume of air that is moved per unit time through the casing 76 via thesuction conduit 100 during the unloading operation. Moreover, in theevent the air current through the suction conduit 100 is interruptedduring the unloading operation, the granular material in the lower partof the intermediate portion of the casing 76 pilesup sufficiently highto block or stopper the open bottom end of the funnel 9t submerging thesame to arrest further fall-through of the granular material from thehopper 313, so as to prevent spilling of the granular material from theright-hand end of the casing 76 through the air inlet port 78 providedtherein and to prevent any substantial flow of the granular material bygravity into the suction conduit 100. Moreover, this pile-up of thegranular material in the lower part of the intermediate portion of thecasing 76, while adequate to block or stopper the funnel 90, does notcompletely fill the upper part of the casing 76 in the intermediateportion thereof adjacent to the ends 95 of the funnel 90, whereby twolaterally spaced-apart and longitudinally extending passages, indicatedat 95a, remain in the upper part of the intermediate portion of thecasing 76 disposed above the pileup of the granular material therein, asindicated in FIG. 8, when the passage of air through the suction conduit100 is arrested. This arrangement is very advantageous, since itaccommodates ready restarting and unloading of the granular materialfrom the casing 76, when suction is again applied to the suction conduit100, since the air may readily pass through the passages 95a mentionedduring the initial restarting of the unloading operation. Specifically,the air proceeds through the passages 95a transporting the granularmaterial therewith into the suction conduit 100 and thereby reducing theheight of the pile-up of the granular material in the lower part of theintermediate portion of the casing 76, so that shortly thereafter theremoval of the granular material from the lower part of the intermediateportion of the casing 76 again unstoppers the funnel 90 with the resultthat the granular material may again fall-through the funnel 96 from thehopper 31B.

In view of the foregoing explanation of the general mode of operation ofthe pneumatic unloading mechanism 718, it will be understood that theoverall rate of unloading of the granular material from the hopper 3113matches the overall suction capacity of the suction equipmentoperatively associated with the suction conduit 100, notwithstandingsubstantial variations in the rate of air fiow through the suctionconduit 1%, and notwithstanding the fact that the pneumatic unloadingmechanism 71B comprises no movable valve element. In other words, thepneumatic unloading mechanism 71B accomplishes the valve function withrespect to the flow of the granular material from the hopper 31B,utilizing elements that are altogether stationary, and employingabsolutely no movable part.

During the unloading operation of the granular material from the hopper3133, one or more of the hatch covers 26 are ordinarily removed fromtheir normal sealed positions with respect to the associated fillinghatches 25. Furthermore, it will be understood that while a majorportion of the granular material may be removed from the hopper 31through the hopper section 313 via the associated pneumatic unloadingmechanism 7133, a minor portion of the granular material remains in thehopper section SIiA and must be removed therefrom via the associatedpneumatic unloading mechanism 71A. Of course, the removal of thegranular material from the hopper section 31A via the associatedpneumatic unloading mechanism 71A is the same as that described above inthe removal of the granular material from the hopper section 3113 viathe pneumatic unloading mechanism 718. Furthermore, it will beappreciated that the unloading of the granular material from the hoppers32 and 33 is the same as that described in conjunction with the removalof the granular material from the hopper 31.

After the granular material has been removed from the hopper section318, the suction conduit 109 is removed from the associated left-handend of the casing '76 of the pneumatic unloading mechanism 713; and atthis time, the one or more hatch covers 26 are returned to their normalsealed positions with respect to the 80 sociated filling hatches 25.

In passing, it is noted that the hopper 31 is normally filled with thegranular material through one or more of the filling hatches 25 in theiropen positions utilizing blower equipment, and with the pneumaticunloading mechanisms 71A and 7133 in their closed positions. After 6filling of the hopper 31, the hatch covers 26 are returned into theirclosed positions with respect to the filling hatches 25; whereby thehopper 31 is completely sealed against the atmosphere, and during thenormal use and transportation of the railway car Ill. Of course, thefilling of each of the other hoppers 32 and 33 is the same as thefilling of the hopper 31, described above.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided ina railway hopper car, including hopper structure adapted to containgranular material and having a bottom discharge outlet, pneumaticunloading mechanism for the bottom discharge outlet that effectsunloading of the granular material from the hopper structure to theexterior at variable rates of flow matching corresponding variable ratesof flow of air through the pneumatic unloading mechanism, all withoutthe requirement of movable valve elements, or the like, in the structureof the pneumatic unloading mechanism; whereby the pneumatic unloadingmechanism is of improved construction and arrangement.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be thepreferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood thatvarious modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to coverin the appended claims all such modifications as fall Within the truespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway car comprising hopper structure adapted to contain granularmaterial and provided with a bottom discharge outlet, a first outwardlydirected collar carried by said hopper structure in surrounding relationwith said bottom discharge outlet, a second outwardly directed collararranged below said first collar and detachably secured thereto, atubular casing carried by said second collar and disposed below saidbottom discharge outlet, said casing having an air inlet port in one endthereof and an air outlet port in the other end thereof, said casingalso having an opening in the top intermediate portion thereof anddisposed below said bottom discharge outlet, and a funnel carried bysaid second collar and arranged in said opening and projectingdownwardly into the interior of the intermediate portion of said casing,said funnel converging downwardly from an open top end communicatingwith said bottom discharge outlet to an open bottom end communicatingwith the lower part of the intermediate portion of said casing, wherebythe granular material in said hopper structure falls through said bottomdischarge outlet and through said funnel into the lower part of theintermediate portion of said casing and is transported therefrom when acurrent of air is passed through said casing from said air inlet portinto said air outlet port so as to effect unloading of the granularmaterial from said hopper structure, the open bottom end of said funnelbeing disposed above the bottom wall of the intermediate portion of saidcasing and below the top wall of the intermediate portion of saidcasing, whereby the granular material in said hopper structure fallsthrough said bottom discharge outlet and through said funnel onto thebottom wall of the intermediate portion of said casing and piles up inthe lower part of the interm diate portion of said casing and submergesthe open bottom end of said funnel and stoppers said funnel when nocurrent of air is passed through said casing from said air inlet portinto said air outlet port so as to prevent spilling of the granularmaterial from the ends of said casing through said air inlet port andsaid air outlet port.

2. The railway car set forth in claim 1, wherein the granular materialin said hopper structure also falls through said bottom discharge outletand through said funnel into the bottom wall of the intermediate portionof said casing and piles-up in the lower part of the intermediateportion of said casing and submerges the open bottom end of said funneland stoppers said funnel when the rate of fall-through of the granularmaterial from said hopper structure into the lower part of theintermediate portion of said casing exceeds the rate at which thegranular material is transported therefrom by the current of air passingthrough said casing so that the overall rate of unloading of thegranular material from said hopper structure is self-regulating to matchthe overall current of air that is passed through said casing.

3. The railway ear set forth in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axisof said funnel is disposed in a substantially vertical position and thelongitudinal axis of said casing is disposed in a substantiallyhorizontal position.

4. The railway car set forth in claim l, wherein said funnel has thegeneral configuration of an inverted truncated pyramid.

5. The railway car set forth in claim 1, wherein the projection of saidfunnel downwardly into the interior of the intermediate portion of saidcasing is sufiieient to cause a pile-up of the granular material in thelower part of the interrnedaite portion of said casing to submerge theopen bottom end of said funnel and to stopper said funnel when nocurrent of air is passed through said cas- 8 ing from said inlet portinto said air outlet port without complete blocking of the upper part ofthe intermediate portion of said casing by the pile-up of the granularmaterial in the lower part of the intermediate portion of said casing.

6. The railway car set forth in claim 1, wherein the projection of saidfunnel downwardly into the interior of the intermediate portion of saidcasing blocks the upper part of the intermediate portion of said casingso as to cause a venturi effect in the lower part of the intermediateportion of said casing incident to the passage of the current of airthrough said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES iATENTS2,650,726 Aller Sept. 1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 281,811 Great Britain Dec.15, 1927 736,207 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1955

